'''Lech Wałęsa Airport'''[http://www.airport.gdansk.pl/], 14 kilometers west of Gdańsk, has become a popular destination for low-price flights. Destinations include [[Cologne]], [[Copenhagen]], [[Dortmund]], [[Dublin]], [[Edinburgh]], [[Frankfurt]], [[Hamburg]], [[Liverpool]], [[London]], [[Munich]], [[Oslo]], [[Shannon]] and [[Stockholm]]. Domestic flights are also available to [[Kraków]], [[Warsaw]] and [[Wrocław]]. A connection to [[Helsinki]] starts in April 2007, providing great connections to Asia and [[New York]]. (Instead a route to Turku, 165km frm Helsinki has been opened)

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'''Lech Wałęsa Airport'''[http://www.airport.gdansk.pl/], 14 kilometers west of Gdańsk, has become a popular destination for low-price flights. Destinations include [[Cologne]], [[Copenhagen]], [[Dortmund]], [[Dublin]], [[Edinburgh]], [[Frankfurt]], [[Hamburg]], [[Liverpool]], [[London]], [[Munich]], [[Oslo]], [[Shannon]], [[Turku]] and [[Stockholm]]. Domestic flights are also available to [[Kraków]], [[Warsaw]] and [[Wrocław]]. A connection to [[Helsinki]] starts in April 2007, providing great connections to Asia and [[New York]]. (Instead a route to Turku, 165km frm Helsinki has been opened)

Do not '''change money''' at the airport unless you have to, since the rates are terrible.

Do not '''change money''' at the airport unless you have to, since the rates are terrible.

Revision as of 05:22, 1 August 2008

Neptune fountain, Długi Targ (Long Market)

Gdańsk[1], also known as Danzig, its German name, is a city in Poland on the Baltic Sea. It is the capital of Pomerania.

Gdańsk with nearby Sopot and Gdynia are often referred as Tri-city (pl: Trójmiasto).
Gdańsk is considered the most beautiful city on Baltic Sea having rich magnificent architecture.

Understand

Its position on the Baltic has historically made Gdańsk one of the most important port cities in Northern Europe, and tragically also the scene of a rather disturbing past.

World War II was ignited by a dispute over the control of the city. By the end of the war the city lay almost completely in ruins. The German population was expelled and replaced by Poles as the city came under Polish rule and changed its name to Gdańsk. However, the impact of its former German ties is still evident. Although most of the old buildings were damaged or destroyed in WWII, they have been painstakingly restored or rebuilt.

In modern history, Gdańsk is known as the birthplace of Solidarity, the labor and democracy movement that helped to bring down the Communist government in Poland, and subsequently marked the beginning of the end of The cold war. The movement was led by the charismatic leader, Lech Walesa, who became Poland's first post-Communist president.

Do not be fooled by the fact that Gdańsk is famous for its ship yards, as it is a beautiful city with a charm of its own.

Tourist information

You can find a tourist information centre inside the Gdańsk Glowny railway station. There is also one just opposite the town hall.

Do not change money at the airport unless you have to, since the rates are terrible.

Avoid the unofficial rip off taxis who will pounce on you as soon as you have cleared security, unless you know how to deal with them.

Transfer buses go to the central station about every half hour. Walk right as you exit the airport to get to the bus stop, from where you take bus B. The fare is 4,20 zł - make sure you have some small banknotes or change with you. You will get three 1,40 zł tickets and all three of them must be stamped in the machine at the bus or you will be fined if you are caught. These tickets are sold at news stands or shops marked "bilety". The bus trip takes about 35 minutes, but if you get caught in rush hour traffic this may easily double. Remember this when you plan your home trip. The Bus B drops off right in front of the main train station. On the way back to the airport, it picks up on the other side of the road, near the front of the Holiday Inn hotel (look for the signs that have the B on them).

By train

The main railway station, Gdańsk Glowny, is a beautiful historic building, although a rather confusing experience to non-polish tourists. Information in other languages than polish is almost non-existent.

Beware of pickpockets and people who may try to intimidate you for money around the railway station, especially late at night. There is very little available in the way of food outside of business hours except for a tiny coffee / snack stall at the rere of the station with only one small table outside.

From here you can get to all important Polish cities as well as many other European destinations. Train timetable is available online[4]. Be aware that the trains and offices marked "PKP" operate the long distance routes, for instance Gdańsk-Warsaw. You buy a ticket before you enter the train. It is advisable to write the name of your destination on a piece of paper and then show it to the ticket sales person, as other languages than polish are rarely spoken. Foreigners trying to pronounce the name of polish destinations often cause confusion.

If traveling in the coastal area Gdańsk, Sopot and Gdynia, then look out for the SKM commuter train which connects Gdańsk and Gdynia. It is a 35 minute ride which stops at all the in-between smaller stations that the PKP trains do not. The SKM runs very frequently, about every 15 minutes. As a rule, tickets are valid for travel by one specific type of train, only. At the Gdańsk Glowny (Gdańsk's main railway station) you find the SKM on the right side when entering the station. Tickets may be bought from a vending machine at the platform. Never enter these trains without a valid ticket as ticket controls checking passengers tickets are frequent. Also, don't try to travel on a student ticket unless you have an ISIC student card, even they sell you the ticket. The ticket inspector also asks for your student card, and if you just have a normal student card, they will likely refuse you.

By car

By bus

The bus station is found immediately behind the main railway station. It is mainly of interest when you wish to visit regional destinations that lack railway connections, like for instance the concentration camp in Sztutowo.

to Sopot and Gdynia. Bear in mind that many of the boats to Sopot, in particular, end up fully-booked and that you can't buy your ticket at the boat itself. This is a harsh lesson to learn when you have already waited in a huge queue. Tickets for the Sopot ferry must be purchased from an office directly across from the terminal.

Learn

Work

Buy

Gdańsk is sometimes called the Amber Capital of the World. The surrounding area is the richest known source of this semi-precious stone, and the product can be found in many of the city's shops. The ones with insects in are much more expensive!

Eat

Budget

Mid-range

Soda Cafe, ul. Chmielna 103/104 (across the river after Długi Targ), +48 58 3051256. Tasteful orange interiors and very tasty food. Try the "Walking on the Moon" goose breast for 21 zł. The lower level night club is open from 7PM "until the last guest leaves". Expect plenty of dance music from the early 1990s, but the punters are up for a good bit of jigging and it's definitely a good laugh with the drink prices not expensive at all.

Rooster, ul. Długa 4, +48 58 3208093[8]. It's a miracle that the U.S. restaurant chain Hooters hasn't sent an army of lawyers yet. Rooster uses the exact same concept with waitresses in revealing clothes, and even the logo is copied with the double O:s used as bird's eyes. Nevertheless, it's the place to go when you're hungry and it's late - it's open until midnight weekdays and 1AM weekends. Women come here too, although most likely not the most militant feminists. Food is good as long as you stay away from the so-called "spaghetti". Mains around 18 zł.

Restaurant Goldwasser, on the waterfront just behind Dlugi Targ. [9] Wonderful, hearty Polish fare at good prices. End the meal with a Goldwasser Liqueur. Vodka based, creamy and has very small pieces of gold leaf in the drink.

"Smojski Smak" is good value, nice food, in a nicely decorated venue.

Splurge

Restauracja Gdańska, ul. Św. Ducha 16, +48 58 3057671, [10]. An entertaining place to visit. The rooms are filled with antiques according to the principle less is not more, and the waitors are dressed like in the good old days. You can get a main for 18 zł although most dishes are more expensive than that, up to about 100 zł.

Drink

Sleep

Budget

Dom Harcerza. A hostel/budget hotel located on ul. Za Murami, 200 m. east of Długi Targ (Long Square). [11]Simple but very clean and tidy rooms. Singles at 40 zł, double at 75 zł. Generous breakfast offered by the café in the back at 9 zł.

YOUTH HOSTEL. A bit of a ride out of town but cheep..adress as follows:-szkolne scronisko mlodziezowe ul.kartuska 244. tel..058 302 60 40...10/15 min tram tripout of town/train station,take tram number 10,11,12 to last stop(siedlce.)then 5 min walk straight ahead over crossroads 50 mtr on right side...do your own cooking,clean & quite...30,40,60 plz a room! (but as a whole Gdansk is a pit!)

Single room apartment in centre of Gdańsk Old City for rent. Flat is completely furnished, it has cable TV and radio, computer + 24 hours broadband internet access. Also has refrigerator, gas-stove, washing machine and phone. Located in old building on the first floor. Just in the middle of Old Town.

Mid-range

Willa Litarion, ul. Spichrzowa 18, +48 58 320-25-53, [13]. A new small hotel, run by a nice family. Located in a row of reconstructed old-style buildings in the centre of the Old Town of Gdańsk, just 150 meters from Długi Targ and the famous Green Gate. Comfortable, carefully arranged rooms with convenient bathrooms have: TV, telephone, free internet access. Prices begin at 255zl per night.

Splurge

The Hotel Wolne Miasto is very pleasant, with helpful staff, very pleasant rooms and a good, central location.

Contact

Stay safe

If you take the usual precautions against pickpockets, you will feel perfectly safe wandering around in Gdańsk. Gdańsk seems very well organized from a tourist's point of view. There are frequent police patrols and visitors usually get the feeling of Gdańsk being a secure and tourist-friendly city.